Process and apparatus for producing molten glass



H. E. ALLEN 1,831,619

PRQCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOLTEN GLASS Nov. 10, 1931.

{ Filed May 123. 1927 '1 Howey Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE xonacn n ALLEN, or ronnno, onro, Assrenoa 'ro mBBnY-ownns-ronn emss com:-

mm, or TOLEDO, 01110, A. coaronmron or onro raocnss AND APPARATUS FOR rnonucme mommr cuss Application filed Kay 23, 1927. Serial No. 193,505.

. The present invention relates to an improved process and apparatus for producm'g' and amalgamated before the resultant molten glass is permitted to pass to glass article ormin means. a Anot er object of the invention is to provide a glass melting furnace including a r0- melting tank wherein the molten glass wil be thoroughly mixed, means being also provided for creating within said tank a pool of molten less and for causing the glass to flow from t e pool in a relatively thin stream.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a' glass meltin furnace including a refractory melting ta and means for rotating the same in a manner that the molten glass therein will be caused to fall over and over'upon itself to the end that the inside of the tank will be continually covered with a film of glass and thus protected to a large extent from the destructive action of the heating medium used for melting the glass.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course 'of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and. wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through improved. glass melting apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a. slightly modified type of apparatus, and

Fig. 3' is a d and of the melting Inthe drawings the numeral 5 designates the rotary meltlngtank and 6 the refining tank associated therewith. As shown in Fig.

1,-the-meltingtank 5, whichis preferabl 'con-' 4 structedof refracto 5o material and so stantlally o'oni'cal is horizontally arranged with The melting tank 5 is erably accomplished by means of a The smaller or outer end of the melting tank 5 is provided with an openin 10 and projecting lnto the tank through this opening is a trough or chute 11 through which the raw glass makin materialsare fed. These materials are t en adapted to be melted within the tank 5 to form a pool of molten glass 12.

This melting of the raw materials is refame entering the tank 5 through the opening 10. Air for combustion purposes is drawn in through a assage 13 from some point re mote from t e furnace and the gas is fedinto this passage adjacent the opening 10 through a burner pipe 14-. The gas fed into the passage burns with the oxygen of the air to form the fire which'melts the glass producing materials. This air can be preheated, if desired, in any well known or preferred manner.

After the molten glass has been produced within the melting tank 5, it iscaused to flow therefrom into the refining tank 6 and thence through a cooling chamber or the like 15 to suitable. glass article forming means. The temperature within the refinm tank may be suitably controlled by meanso fiames issuingthereintothrough ports 16. One or any suitable number of these ports may be arranged at opposite sides of the refining tank 6 and air for combustion purposes is adapted to be drawn in through passages 20 while the g'as'may be fed into'the passages adjacent the ports-through s'uitableburners 21, these burners usuallyprojecting slightly into 'the passages throu h the side walls with th-e air entering through the passages will form flames which pass into the refinin tank through the ports and by means of whic the temperature of the glass therein may be controlled as desired. In the ordinary operation of this type of heatingmeans, the flames thereof. The gas from the urners combining issue' into the refining tank first from the haust gases passing outwardly through the ports opposite the ports through which the flames are issuing. Of course, it is to be understood that any other desired type of heat- 5 ing means may be used if preferred.

In order to prevent the molten glass from flowing too rapidly from the melting tank or in other words, before it has been thoroughly fused and amalgamated, the said tank is formed with an internal annular protuberance or bulged portion 18, said protuberance acting as a dam to hold back the molten glass until it has been thoroughly mixed, the molten glass being caused to flow b gravity from the pool 12 in a relatively thin stream as at 19.

Since the melting tank 5 is being continuously rotated, it will be seen that the molten glass therein will be caused to fall over and over upon itself to the end that the resultant molten glass passing into the refining tank 6 will be thoroughly fused and mixed. In

other words, the molten glass is being constantly agitated during the melting thereof and will be consequently homogeneous throughout. The annular protuberance, or bulged portion 18 retains the molten glass in the outer end of the tank where it will be subjected to the action of the heating medium and furthermore, serves to prevent the raw glass making materials from flowing into the refining tank.

Also, inasmuch as the melting tank isbeing constantly rotated, there will always be a thin film of molten lass covering the inside of said tank with t e result that the same will be protected in a large degree from the destructive action of the heating medium or flame entering through the opening 10. The life of the tank will, as a result, be considerably increased.

The construction of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is substantiall the same as that shown in Fi 1, the on y differences being that the melting tank is tilted somewhat and the smaller end thereof projects into the refining tank 6 instead of the larger end.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the s irit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Claims:

1. In molten glass producing apparatus of the class described, a rotary melting tank for receiving the raw glass-making materials and in which they are reduced to molten glass, and means within the rotary tank for damming the glass to create a 'pool, said. means being so arranged that the glass flows from the pool continuously in a relatively thin stream.

2. In molten glass producing apparatus of the character described, a rotary meltingv the pool into the refining tank in a relatively thin stream.

3. In molten glass producing apparatus of the character described, a rotary melting tank for receiving the raw glass making materials, .a refining tank associated with one end of said melting tank, means for introducing a heating medium into the opposite end of said melting tank, and means within the melting tank for creating a pool of molten glass therein at the heating'end thereof and for restraining the molten glass in a manner that it will flow by gravity from the said pool in a relatively thin stream.

' 4. In molten glass producing apparatus of the character described, a rotary melting tank for receiving the raw glass making materials, a refining tank associated with one end of the melting tank, means for introducing a heating medium into the opposite end thereof, the said melting tank being provided with an internal annular protuberance intermediate its ends, said protuberance creating a pool of molten glass in said tank at the heating end thereof and restraining the glass in a manner that it will flow from said pool by gravity in a relatively-thin stream.

5. In molten glass producing apparatus of i.

the same end of the tank for meltingthe raw materials to form molten glass, and a refining tank at the op osite end of the melting tank for receivin t e molten glass therefrom.

7. In molten g ass producing apparatus of the character described, a melting tank containing a mass of molten lass and rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis, means for introducing raw glass'making materials into one end of the tank, heating means at the .same end of the. tank for melting'the raw materials to form molten glass, a refining tank at the opposite end of the melting tank for receiving the molten glass therefrom, and I -means' within the melting tank for creatmg a pool of molten glass therein at the heating end thereof and for restraining the glass in a manner that it will flow from this pool by gravity into the refining tank in a relatively thin stream.

8. The process of producing molten glass, which consists in suitably containing the raw glass making materials, then rotating this mass in a manner to cause it to fall over and over upon itself while subjecting it to the melting action of a heating medium, and in then damming the glass in a manner to cause the resultant molten glass to flow by gravity from the upper stratums of the molten mass in a relatively thin stream.

9. In molten glass producing apparatus of the character described, a rotary melting tank containing a mass of molten glass, a refining tank adjoining and in direct communication with said melting tank for receiving the molten glass therefrom, means for controlling the temperature of the melting tank, and means for controlling the temperature of the refining tank.

10. In molten glass producing apparatus ot' the character described, a rotary melting tank for receiving the raw glass-making materials and in which they are reduced to molten glass, and means within the rotar tank for damlning the glass to create a pool: said means being so arranged that glass flows thereover in a relatively thin stream.

Signed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and btate of Ohio, this th day of May 1927. HORACE E. ALLEN. 

